Creative with clay

Amy and Michelle met each other at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. They clicked, partly due to their shared love for ceramics. During the long working sessions on their art projects in the ceramics room, they often dreamed of one day opening their own ceramics studio together. A place where they could pass on their passion, knowledge, and skills about ceramics to anyone who wanted to learn. And that dream has now come true. Het Keramisch Huis (The Ceramics House) became that place.

Het Keramisch Huis: Creative Clay Work in The Hague

The temporary space in a national monument from 1925 in Benoordenhout gave Amy and Michelle the opportunity to start Het Keramisch Huis. Since the building currently has no designated purpose, they are allowed to transform it into their own creative space and studio, where everyone is welcome to work with clay. And they are making the most of this opportunity! Charming corners have been created throughout with found (design) treasures and self-made works. And your cup of tea? Of course, you’ll drink it from a cup that the girls have shaped themselves.

Feeling inspired? With Amy and Michelle, you’re in good hands to start working creatively with clay. A mug, a candleholder, or a bowl to eat your breakfast from every morning – you can make all of these yourself here under their inspiring guidance. So, come and do some clay work at Het Keramisch Huis, let your creativity run wild, and soon you’ll be drinking a delicious cup of coffee from your own mug!

Just a heads-up, monumental buildings can (especially on cold days or evenings) feel chilly! Planning to join a workshop here? Be sure to wear warm clothes and put on your creative hat!

Image: Charlotte van der Gaag

From Clay to Ceramics

Before you start working practically, it’s always nice to gain some knowledge first. After all, how does a lump of clay become a masterpiece?

There are several techniques for this. Amy and Michelle use handbuilding methods. So, don’t expect complicated tricks with a pottery wheel, but rather a calm, step-by-step approach—building up your work piece by piece, slab by slab. For example, you shape your design using the coil technique: building your work higher by adding a new coil of clay each time. Or you create a pinch pot: by pressing and hollowing out the center of a ball of clay, you form a small bowl.

Once your design is shaped to your liking, it goes into the kiln for the first time. This process is called bisque firing. The temperature in the oven is incredibly high: 950 degrees Celsius! This high temperature causes the clay to lose its soft and flexible form and turn into what’s called a biscuit: a rough, but firm and dry piece of work.

Now, it’s ready for the next step in the clay-to-ceramic process! Biscuit can be glazed. And that’s another fun and creative step. Not only can you shape your design just the way you want, but you can also give it the exact color and pattern you desire. Glazing can be thought of as a kind of paint for ceramics. It gives your clay work an extra layer.

After glazing, the ceramic is fired again. This time, at an even higher temperature: around 1100 to 1300 degrees Celsius. This ensures that the glaze melts and the color and finish permanently bond to the ceramic. A nice bonus: glazing makes your work waterproof. Very handy if you’re going to use it for eating or drinking!

There you go. Now you have a theoretical foundation in ceramics. Time to put it into practice. Amy and Michelle can, of course, teach you much more about this. Enjoy your clay fun!

With your Haagse Schatten gift card, you can also visit Het Keramisch Huis. Want to treat someone else to a delightful clay session? You can buy it in our webshop, or visit one of our treasures where you can purchase the gift card in person.

The great thing is, every euro you spend on the card will be guaranteed to go to a local business in The Hague. This way, we can all continue to enjoy the hotspots of The Hague thanks to the enthusiastic and dedicated local entrepreneurs. There are now more than sixty The Hague treasures where you can redeem your card. So, there’s something for everyone!